Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna regions has fallen to historic lows, government figures show, arriving just ahead of a closely contested presidential run-off election.
Data gathered by satellites for the 12 months up to July 2026 indicates that deforestation in the Amazon decreased by 41.8 percent, marking the largest reduction recorded since monitoring began in 1988. Meanwhile, clearing in the Cerrado savanna dropped by 23.8 percent over the same period.
The sharp reduction coincides with an upcoming vote on 25 October, where President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faces Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Since assuming office three years ago, Lula has implemented stricter environmental monitoring and elevated fines for illegal logging, aiming to eliminate illegal clearance by 2030.
Political Shifts and Environmental Reactions
The current figures stand in contrast to the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro from 2019 to 2022. According to official data cited by the AFP news agency, the Amazon lost nearly 60 percent more forest land during that four-year term compared to the prior four years, amid reduced environmental enforcement and increased mining on indigenous lands. Flavio Bolsonaro, who is running against Lula in a tight race according to polls, is expected to follow his father’s general policies while promising to tackle organized crime in the region.
The Amazon rainforest, 60 percent of which lies within Brazil, plays a vital role in absorbing global carbon dioxide. However, scientists caution that decades of deliberate clearing for farming and logging, coupled with climate change, continue to heighten wildfire risks and threaten local biodiversity.
Official representatives and environmental groups welcomed the latest figures. Brazilian Environment Minister Joao Paulo Capobianco categorized the drop in Amazon deforestation as extraordinarily large, while Marcio Astrini, executive secretary at the climate advocacy group Observatorio do Clima, described the result as a historic achievement that proves deforestation can be contained through strong political determination.
Source: BBC News
